How does a child become potty-trained?

Most parents use a lot of diapers before their child becomes potty-trained. Per child about 25 kilos per month (Source: Milieu Centraal). It is often thought that a child becomes potty-trained on its own and a small number of children do. They come around the age of 3 years on the idea that they prefer no longer a diaper, but their need on the potty or the toilet. 

For parents, this is very nice: potty training comes naturally. 

However, most kids don't indicate anything at all and need to be encouraged to potty train. How to do that is in this article.

When does a child become potty trained?

Most children become potty-trained between the ages of 2 and 3. But there are big differences between children. In addition, it is striking that children are becoming potty-trained later and later. It used to be normal for a child to be out of diapers by a year to a year and a half. Nowadays it is often assumed that a child must be potty-trained when he or she goes to school. That is at 4 years in the Netherlands and at 2.5 years in Belgium.

But did you know that you can also help your child become potty-trained and that your child can be out of diapers by one year, just like in the old days?

How to help your child with potty training. 

Step 1. On the potty or toilet with toilet-reducer.

Get your child used to the potty. There are children who sit down on a potty right away and are fine with it. But if your child does not sit down immediately, help him or her by making the potty fun. Fun means that the time on the potty is fun because you are doing something that your child likes. For example a read a story or singing songs.

Step 2. The first success.

While your child is sitting on the potty like this, something falls into the potty. This, of course, is great fun. Show your child that you are happy about this by saying, for example:"Well done! 

You don't have to give stickers or other rewards. If your child is sensitive to rewards you can do so. But for many children it is enough if the parents say in words that what their child is doing is clever.

Step 3. Daily routine.

Now that your child wants to sit on the potty and do something in it, you can put your child on the potty more and more often. It is helpful to put your child on the potty when he or she is most likely to put something in. Therefore, watch your child closely to recognize his pee and poop signals. Common times when a child needs to go to the toilet are: after eating and when waking up. 

Finally, it can help if your child wears clothes that are easy to put on and take off, so you can then quickly put your child on the potty. You can think of these pants.

Step 4. Your child is going to self-report.

In the previous step, you practiced using the potty. Now your child is getting better at indicating it himself. When? This differs per child and has nothing to do with intelligence. There are children who can indicate this very quickly. Other children need more time because they are totally absorbed in their play. That is not a problem. You as a parent can assess this and help your child, until your child indicates it yourself. 

Step 5. Getting through the sleep dry.

Most children become potty-trained first during the day and then at night. You don't have to do much for nighttime potty training: it follows within six months after your child is potty-trained during the day. 

Your child is now completely out of diapers. You have started using the potty or the toilet with toilet seat reducer and now your child is potty-trained. He can play all day without a diaper hanging around him. 

Want to read more about potty training and how to help your child? Then check out here. 

Guest author: Debby Mendelsohn
Author of the book Potty training is child's play